eight.

put on your party pants and do the foxtrot or the charleston – whichever you prefer – because natalie’s officially been in japan for eight months. and how is she celebrating this momentous occasion? with hairbo green gummy frogs of course. you know it’s officially official when the frogs are present.

let’s see what’s new in my little world. autumn rolled into the fukushima prefecture like a roaring lion. okay, slightly dramatic but the weather has been gradually getting cooler. for a few weeks, various shades of kelly and dark, hunter greens to rich hues of golden yellow and deep auburn painted japan’s rolling hills. i watched the color of the leaves change on the sakura tree in front of the teachers’ lounge window rather quickly. now there are about two flimsy-looking leaves hanging on for their dear lives on the same sakura tree. the upside: an endless supply of crunchy leaves just begging to be stepped on.

• heating blanket. check.
• northface fleece (that students like to pet and smell). check.
• wool socks. check.
• soup recipes (send me your faves!). check.
• list of movies, tv series to watch, books to read. check.
• fisherman’s friend cough drops. check.

even though this little okie is deeply terrified of the winter months to come, i’ve been mentally coaching myself to stay positive as the temperature drops degree by painful degree. cue gloria gaynor’s “i will survive…” the upside to cooler temperatures is i ride my bike to the grocery store and my favorite coffee shop, legame, like i’m in the last leg of the tour de france. frigid, bone-chilling air = peddle like a maniac = buns of steel. move over, lance!

eight months into living in a foreign country, i can honestly say it’s been a journey. there are still frustrations and challenges i have to deal with – that’s life – BUT i’m closer to a place of peace. a good friend of mine sent a devotional to me a few months back and this line really stood out: “God does not waste time.” simple, yet profound. i stress myself out trying to make sense of all that’s going on in my head – the direction my life should go after i leave japan. speaking of which, i’m officially moving back to america is april 2011. i am looking forward to being closer to my family next spring and beginning the next season of my life… maybe that means moving to another state, working for a nonprofit, being in oklahoma for awhile or going to graduate school. i’m not entirely sure but i know i don’t have to figure it out right now. i’m focused on finishing my last four months in japan the best that i possibly can. He’ll guide me. i just have to let go and trust (all the battle for me). two thousand and ten has been one of the most interesting years i’ve ever had in my life. by interesting i mean challenging, adventurous, exhilarating and unforgettable. despite the roller coaster of thoughts and emotions, i know God’s character is good. He does not waste time. He is purposeful.

slightly delayed, but a light bulb turned on in my head a few months ago and i realized that, although praying for contentment is perfectly fine, action on my part still is required. action as in taking my thoughts captive, being intentional on what i dwell on. think happy, be happy. open my eyes to the see good in every season. it’s too easy to point out the negative. but what’s the point? i know we know, but do we do?

“i would rather be what God chose to make me than the most glorious creature that i could think of; for to have been thought about, born in God’s thought, and then made by God, is the dearest, grandest, and most precious thing in all thinking.” – george macdonald, the man c. s. lewis called his mentor.

healthizzle.
the adventure of natalie in japan continues to go strong. let’s talk about my recent adventure to the dentist and doctor’s office. i know this is a little odd, but i really like getting my teeth cleaned. people who know me well and my weird obsession have suggested that i become a dental hygienist or dentist. but let’s be honest here, i’d quit after a day of having to fix/polish some other person’s snaggles. i completely respect the profession but i’m too much of a wuss.  i care about my dental health, as well as my dog’s, and that’s plenty. i could picture me trying to check my patient’s back molars and slipping in a few minty fresh altoids while they’re under a little N2O. so anyway, it had been six months since my last cleaning and i felt the need for speed… err… a cleaning. picture this: me laying in the chair (slightly tense), sharp cleaning tools next to me and a sweet, adorable japanese dental hygienist attempting to give me directions on what to do. i could understand about 50% of what she was saying (thank the lord for gestures). at one  point it felt like we were playing hokey-pokey. she told me to stick my hand up if i was in pain. but i missed the whole “in pain” part. so for about 10 minutes, i kept my left hand straight in the air. she kept asking, “daijobu desu ka? (are you okay?)” and i kept responding, “HAI! HAI! (YESSS! Yes!)” it finally dawned on me what she was trying to communicate and so i discreetly put my hand back down on my lap. we giggled,  i gargled and then she sent me on my merry, cavity-free way.

now onto my doctor’s visit. i wasn’t feeling well at all last week. i felt like i had an ear infection and so i ended up going to the doctor’s. a japanese coworker drove me to the clinic and helped translate everything. i went from being mildly entertained by the situation to sheer hysteria, due to lack of sleep and not feeling 100%. so i’m sitting in the waiting room, feeling lethargic and with a mask over my face which is in return fogging up my glasses so i can’t see a darn thing and the nurse calls my name to see the doctor. a rather round gentleman in a white coat walks into the room, enters my personal space bubble with his clammy hands and starts making humming noises with a look of concern on his face. my coworker was translating everything i was saying and after six minutes and 37 seconds, he tells my coworker that i need an IV and prescribes four different kinds of medications. my coworker then turns to me, shares the news and i respond with: “AM I DYING???????” (in a somewhat shouty, air- fisty way; truth be told, i was feeling rather raw at the moment.) i did, in fact, survive the ordeal and i’m feeling so much better today. it was a minor ear infection. so, essentially, my over dramatics were uncalled for. the story of my life.

school life.
the students are quite comfortable with me these days. it’s not an uncommon occurrence for me to be perusing the hallways only to be attacked by a mob of 7^th grade girls. they usually try to wiggle a hug out of me, smell my hair and clothes, smack my toosh and ask me about my love life. yeah, that pretty much happens every day. a few of the older 9^th grade girls – which are usually too cool for school – will run up to me and give me a hug or link their arm with mine. it’s really cute. somehow i’ve convinced them that i’m cool and i didn’t have to use my super strong mind powers to do so. if we can’t understand each other, we draw pictures or use gestures. it usually ends up in a gigglefest. the boys are just awkward and usually try to say in broken english that they love me when they’re with a group friends. oh, the joys of being an awkward junior high school student. it all made me slightly uncomfortable at first but i’ve grown accustomed to it. the students have a daily cleaning time, called osoji, and they line up and then disperse to clean a specific area of the school. i water the plants every day, but before i do that, i line up next to a group of 9^th graders with my american coworker, peter. there’s this group of boys that approach us every day after osoji with a new phrase in english. it usually is random and sometimes  it makes sense and other times it makes absolutely no sense. today they kept saying, “don’t judge a cover by its book.” yeahhhh, i laugh every time. i’m probably an awful example but it’s hysterical. oh, the darn things kids say these days. *shakes cane in the air*

with all of the love, smiles, sunshine and joy the children bring to me, they still manage to keep me very humble.  one of the lessons for the ichinensei class involved me talking about what junior high school i went to and what sports i played in school. well, i happened to have a picture of me in 7th grade when i was cheerleader. i thought they’d like it and so my japanese teacher blew it up to poster-size to accompany the lesson. we are in the middle of the lesson, iwamoto sensei unfolds the poster and the entire class starts laughing hysterically. i mean fall-out-of-their-chair laughter. because of the black and white print i looked very much bald. so i starting shouting, “I HAD HAIR! I PROMISE!! I DIDDDD!” *sigh*

occasionally,  i teach in the special needs “sakura” class with two very sweet 8^th graders, taku and naoto. one day it was just taku and i and he has serious ADD and i have a mild case of it (especially on fridays). this was in fact a friday and the japanese teacher i usually teach with gave up and retired back to the teacher’s lounge and told me to watch taku. watch = dance party. taku brought out the yamaha keyboard, mixed some beats, i had a tambourine and then we hopped around the classroom like we were at a techno rave. it. was. awesome. and the best part: we both had fun.

my favorite teachers’ lounge story occurred about a month or so ago. so i guess there are killer bees in japan and along with stink bugs, the japanese people are not particularly fond of these little buggers (get it? buggers?) well, one fine, uneventful afternoon, the school’s receptionist, setsko san, noticed a “killer bee” presiding on the ceiling above MY desk. faster than the speed of light, setsko san lunges for a can of bug spray with the intense gun attached to the top of it. (sidenote: setsko san is a dainty, lovely woman who is thoughtful and shares the apples that her parents grow and pours tea in the afternoon for all of us  teachers; she’s one of my favorites.) setsko san hands the can to iwamoto sensei , the japanese english teacher i normally work with, and he hops on the desk in front of me and sprays ¾ of the can all over the ceiling. his arm looks like a water hose when it gets out of control and starts whipping back and forth as the water sprays out.  here’s the thing: he missed the tiny little bee. he sprayed practically everything BUT the bee. by everything i mean the entire surface of the three desks parallel to my desk. so , there was a fog and residue in the general area that i work in for at least half an hour which eventually killed the bee bandit. iwamoto sensei  then proceeds to walk away from the crime scene. one of the desks belonging to muroi sensei now was covered in bugspray goob. he  had a class and didn’t witness this entire escapade. the bell rings, he walks back to his desk, starts touching his papers and notices there’s a new layer of funk on them and then grabs his coffee cup in attempt to take a big swig.  i’m seeing all of this slowly unfold in front of my very own eyes and then i yell, “noooOOOoooooOO!!” i’m not going to claim i saved him from being poisoned, okay nevermind, i AM going to claim that.

beach baby.
it’s rather strange to be away from friends and family during the holidays but i had the opportunity to celebrate thanksgiving with the fellow teachers here in funehiki. and it was wonderrrful. we ordered turkey from “the meat guy” online and had mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, pumpkin pie, corn, homemade bread. oh my goodness. it was dericious. after the marathon eating, we had a dance party. naturally. great memory with great friends. it’s the little things in life, isn’t it? in ten days, i’ll be boarding a plane to meet my mother in hawaii for christmas. it’s hard not being home for the holidays but i’m really looking forward to spending time with her for a week – soaking up the rays and relaxing on the beach. we are going to whale watch, snuba (cross between scuba and snorkel), hike and surf. let’s just hope i don’t drown in some massive wave. after hawaii, i’ll fly back to japan for new year’s, to travel around japan a little bit and then a week later, i’ll attend my friend sonoko’s wedding at the mandarin oriental hotel in tokyo. words can’t express how excited i am to see my college friend get married in a traditional japanese wedding. it’s going to be quite an experience, i do believe. pictures to come!

i begin teaching an eikaiwa (english conversation) class for adults next month. i have about 12 students. the oldest student is in his 70′s and the youngest is about my age. i had dinner with them tonight and they are beyond precious. i’m really, really looking forward to getting to know them better and teaching them english on monday nights. so, yeah, life is good. i’ve also been fairly busy the last few months with english camp with 6th graders (fruity avatar shout out), adventures to the park hyatt in tokyo (lost in translation anyone?), inawashiro lake, aizu samurai castle and parade, the koriyama city museum of art (hokusai exhibit)…. it’s been an adventure. there’s still so much more of japan i want to see. i’m going to try to cram in as much as i possibly can the next four months. ganbatte.

well, my dear friends, i’ve kept you long enough. have a very, merry christmas and happy new year! stay warm and enjoy the time you have with loved ones. happy birthday, grandpa.

“He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of His birth.” – luke 1:14

blessings to you from me, bonnie and clyde (my goldfish),
natalie

“eureka?”

so, we meet again. it’s been awhile! my sincerest apologies for the disappearance. i’ve been hopping around here and there, and i’m finally back to a daily routine after a month or so of summer break. let’s catch up, shall we?

let’s see. this very second i’m a sitting in the teacher’s lounge, fanning myself with a notebook (with a darling, vintage, floral print on the cover) with beads of sweat rolling down my lower back. yes, i just admitted that. it’s all about transparency, right? even when talking about perspiring? it’s gross, but it’s the truth. that’s how hot and humid it is japan. besides working out in a gym, running or riding my bike, i honestly can’t remember the last time my body sweat like this… just sitting here, not doing anything but typing. this girl just misses some air conditioning. however, i’m trying not to be too moody over the insanely high temperature because i know in just a few short months i will experience the harshest winter ever in my life (in comparison to the mild, oklahoma winters i’ve become accustomed to) and missing sunshine/warmer temperatures. shifting that perspective? contentment in every season? positive, encouraging thoughts? can you do this, natalie? *nods head up and down; puts on superhero cape*

so, let’s look on the bright side. despite the hot weather, summer time in japan in nothing short of amazing. true story. there are a number of summer festivals to attend, numerous sights to see and the island is just beautiful with its lush foliage. it’s lovely to see the end result of the rainy season (juneish-julyish). i’ve never seen such ginormous hydrangea and sunflower blooms in my life. the towering bamboo trees and bright green rice fields are quite a sight to see. there’s a blueberry tree that i walk by everyday on my way to my apartment from school. every time i see it or sneak a few blueberries, this scripture comes to mind: “he is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither, whatever he does prospers.” – psalm 1:3

back to summer festivals… so far, they are one of my favorite aspects to being in japan. i painted sweet little faces at my first festival, the yochien (kindergarten) festival, a few weeks ago. for the record, my flower and butterfly paintings were stellar, but my rainbows turned out to be just a color blob. so, please don’t ask me to paint a rainbow on your face. after the yochien festival, i went with some friends to watch another american teacher/friend play the taiko drums at another town festival. a group of us started dancing, and i ended up getting some kind of award for being a skilled dancer which resulted in me taking home a large, frying pan. nice, right? i actually used it the other day and was very pleased with its durability. i wore my yukata for the first time for an obon festival in funehiki and attended a private festival last weekend at a friend’s home and listened to live, japanese music all evening. the evening was topped off with the sighting of a shooting star. perfection.

something rather exciting, i’m running my very first 5k in october! yes, i realize this is a short distance for all of you serious runners out here but, for me, this is a big deal. i’ve ran four days this week which is HUGE because i can’t say that i loved running in the past. cycling, on the other hand, is great fun but running… eeek. there’s nothing quite like running along rice fields and mountainous terrain in the distance in the cool of the evening. i listen to my ipod, run a few miles and soak in the beautiful landscape that surrounds me. it feels good and encouraging to tackle this little feat.

background: school starts in april, but the students have an interim summer break which lasts roughly a month. i had two weeks off from august 1-15. the week and a half prior to my two-week summer break and the week and half after was spent preparing for a speech contest.  so, i’ve been working with one ninensei student, sayuri sakuma, in preparing for the speech contest taking place on august 31 in miharu, a nearby town close to funehiki. my schedule has been laid-back, relaxing and precisely what i needed to clear my thoughts and have some down time.  sayuri and her family are just precious. she asked me the other day if i was on twitter and said something about pictures of my dog on twitter. i think she might have googled my name or something. funny. also, sayuri’s mother and i write notes back and forth every other day. it’s the cutest.  she asks me questions about my family and life in america; her english is really good. sayuri is thirteen, plays table tennis and is way taller than me. i don’t get it. i honestly thought i’d be a towering model in japan with giraffe-like limbs in comparison to the japanese. psssshhh…  i’m still a midget here. all of my students are my height or taller. being short does have its perks though. because i’m one of the shortest teachers in our group, i got to stand next to funehiki’s mayor in a picture last monday. yes, you may have my autograph. so what if i look slightly like a creeper leaning into him with my peace sign; i was star struck.

leaving on a jet plane.
i sometimes have a difficult time admitting to myself that japan is my home. truth be told, japan and i just don’t always know what to do with each other. not to mention, i have self-diagnosed “life attention deficit disorder  (ADD)”,  and i wish there was a pill that could cure me of this. i really do. i like to think about the future, visualize my next steps and work toward reaching that goal, regardless of what it might be… a new job, traveling to a new country, living in another country, moving to a different state, so on and so forth. i think it’s healthy to have vision but it can also be detrimental. how can i be all here, in japan, if i’m already thinking about what i’m going to do after this experience? along with my life ADD, i am, admittedly, a dreamer. and, the world is so accessible that i have a slight problem focusing on my current state. it hit me the other day, that even though this experience can be challenging at times, i don’t want to look back a few years from now and realize i didn’t give my all because i was focused on what’s next. so, i’m in japan for one year… two years… i don’t know, but i want to be all here while i’m here, ya hear?

around mid-july i started thinking about what i wanted to do over summer break and for my 27^th birthday. climbing mount fuji and visiting kyoto initially came to mind, but when i sat down to begin planning my japan adventures all I could think about was home. although grand adventures makes me feel alive, i just wanted to simply be in oklahoma and cuddle with my dog, swim and build a fort with my nieces, get a hug from my dad, eat a sandwich made by my grandma, watch bravo with my mom and stir up some shenanigans with my tulsa friends.  when an idea plants itself in my mind, there’s no turning back. so, i decided to surprise my family and booked a flight to america two weeks prior to my august 1 departure. three trains changes, a 10-hour flight from tokyo to los angeles, a three-hour flight to dallas and a three-hour drive to lawton, i was able to show up at my parents’ house and give them a shock of a lifetime. priceless. shout out to everyone who helped keep the surprise a secret. also, i want to wish my lovely parents a happy 31st anniversary. i’m a lucky girl to have such incredible parents.

i got to celebrate my birthday with sushi and sno cones with my new friends in japan and wolf gang puck’s bistro deliciousness and dancing the night away with friends in america. perfect two-seven celebration, if you ask me.  thank for the sweet birthday cards and gifts i love every single note. thank you for thinking of me, friends. you brightened my day!

so, my time in america was refreshing, encouraging and also a reality check. life goes on without me. go figure! going home helped confirm that a season of life has indeed changed. i have beautiful , talented friends and it seems as though we are all at this pivotal point in our lives and transitioning to new life adventures, settling into relationships, so on and so forth. it’s rather exciting to see the change from afar and i’m deliriously happy for my friends, but in the same breath, it’s sad to say goodbye to an era. i may not live in oklahoma when i move back to america. actually, i’m about 90% sure i won’t. of course, who knows where life will take me and what doors He’ll open, but i’m excited over the idea of moving to a big city.

even though i had this epiphany and received some clarity about my future while i was at home, visiting america was exactly what i needed. i consumed an unhealthy amount of italian and mexican food, cheese, birthday cake ice cream from braums, reese’s peanut butter cups and drank more than my fair share of sweet tea and vanilla coke. i think i ate one salad while i was there. a plethora of leafy greens, followed by eating bright blue, artificially colored  ice cream with birthday cake chunks in it? sounds like a well-balanced meal to me.

traveling back to japan was thoroughly a struggle. anything and everything that could go wrong, did. because of the last minute booking, my flight back was pretty brutal to start with. my first flight left from dallas at 6a.m. (yes, i said 6a.m.; beggars can’t be choosers) but was delayed because “the pilot overslept.” so the pilot made a mistake and delayed the flight’s departure about an hour, no big deal, right? wrong. oh-so-wrong. i had to catch connecting flights to phoenix and then san francisco before i could even leave for tokyo. so mr. pilot mcsleepy pants threw everything off.

i finally board the plane and fall asleep as soon as i fasten my seatbelt;  i think i slept three hours the night before and, not to mention, i basically had jet lag the entire time i was in america. okay, so it really goes all downhill from here. i don’t know exactly why i decided to do this, not the wisest decision in retrospect, but i ended up taking a sleeping pill when my flight was at a standstill in phoenix. BAD IDEA. i was exhausted but wired, felt my blood pressure rising based on the current, stressful situation, and i figured a few additional hours of sleep would chill me out. the plane sat on the runway about an hour because of inclement weather in san francisco and then – get this – they started making people get off the plane with their luggage because the flight was “too heavy.” i’ve never heard of that in my life. well, at this point, i’m trying not to drool, i’m groggy and my head is bobbing back and forth and i can’t fully process if this is a dream or not…

so, eventually i completely wake up, and we are still parked and the guy next to me isn’t sitting next to me anymore and nothing looks familiar. my heart starts racing, and i immediately assume i’m on the wrong plane. it was the pills, i tell ya. i ask the guy across from me where he was going. he replies, “eureka.” i’m thinking, “where the flippity flip is eureka?” OH MY. i AM on the wrong plane.” i then proceed to jump up, race to the flight attendant serving beverages to the comfortable and peaceful first class passengers and shout, “I THINK I’M ON THE WRONG PLANE!” i start tearing up and rubbing my eyes – still groggy at this point – and she calmly replies, “sweetie, you’re oooookay.  brrrrreathe, go find your seat and we’ll go over your itinerary.”  i turn around, find my seat, get out my itinerary, talk to the “eureka” dude again and realize the plane is, in fact, heading toward san francisco and eureka , california, is his final destination. when i asked him where he was going, i think he thought i was trying to strike up a casual conversation. and the guy that was sitting next to me that “disappeared” simply moved to the row behind me for more space when they kicked people off of the flight. so then, the flight attendant returns and gives me a pep talk and reads my itinerary back to me s-l-o-w-l-y. *sigh*

“color my life with the chaos of trouble”  – belle and sebastian

you would think after that traumatic experience, i’d be done with my story, right? well, sadly, i’m not. so, i arrive in san francisco and i have an hour to board my international flight. this wouldn’t have been an issue if I already had my boarding pass and if i didn’t have to take a tram to the other side of the airport to go through security and to check-in. a very kind gentlemen, jang from korea, overheard me talking on the phoenix-san francisco flight to the flight attendant about catching my flight to tokyo and being an english teacher,  and then he proceeded to grab my carry on (which was filled to the zipper with shoes) and yelled, “FOLLOW MEEE!” as soon as we landed in california. we sprint across the airport; i don’t think i’ve ran any faster in my life. i got to the ticket counter to check-in and the united representative proceeded to tell me that the flight was closed five minutes ago. not going to lie, at this point, i wanted to kick the debbie downer dude in the shins. i said, “goodbye and THANK YOU!” to my little guardian angel who helped lead the way and then walked, feeling ever-so-defeated, to the other side of the ticket counter and attempted to rebook the flight. i handed my passport to a new united representative, she immediately started talking on the phone and said, “do you feel like running? C’MON!!” so, round two of sprinting with a complete stranger across the san francisco airport. she escorted me through security, carried my carry-on and i was the very last person to board flight 575. whew. i made it though! *the crowd cheers*

i arrived in tokyo but, unfortunately, my two massive suitcases didn’t get the memo and decided to catch some waves in california for a few days. moral of the story: refrain from taking sleeping pills on short connecting flights or be prepared to appear like a complete crackhead to several strangers. well, more of a crackhead than usual in my case.

classes are in session now and although the lazy, summer days are quite nice, i missed seeing some of my students. there’s nothing quite like being greeted by a group of joyful, grinning ear-to-ear japanese students happy to see you again after a month of separation. moments like those remind me why i’m in japan.

“i took you from the ends of the earth, from its farthest corners i called you… so do not fear, for i am with you; do not be dismayed for i am your God. i will strengthen you and help you; i will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” – isaiah 41:9-10

wowza. i just saw lightening behind mount katasone. i’ve never seen this. intense. on that note, it’s time for me to pack up and walk home.

until we meet again,
natalie

earth to the moon people.

current scene:  i’m sitting in the teachers’ lounge, writing this blog entry and sipping on a starbuck’s café latte (with a hint of cinnamon) i brought all the way from koriyama last night (30 minutes away by train) and heated up at school this morning. it’s the little things in life, isn’t it? it’s 11:23 a.m. and raining cats and dogs outside (i never really understood that expression, but i like using it). the expresso from that latte is making me want to have a dance party (with techno and glow sticks) in the middle of the teachers’ lounge.  the coffee-slurping science teacher is going strong this morning and talking to himself. he’s most definitely one of my favorites. a teacher just turned to me and asked me if i liked “beef tongue.” i thought for a second, tried to figure out what she meant and replied, “beef tongue?? hmm… like cow tongue?” she goes, “oh oh yes, isn’t it delicious?” and then stuck out her tongue. i have no idea… umm and now i’m grading a well-known  (kind of bizarre) japanese fairytale that students were supposed to translate. oddly enough, i like this story. it doesn’t really make sense but i’m okay with that. here it goes: 

long, long ago, an old man saw a strange bamboo. it was shining.
he cut the bamboo and found a cute baby in it.
the old man and his wife were very happy. “her name is kaguyahime.” they named the baby kaguyahime.
in three months kaguyahime became a beautiful lady.
five young men wanted to marry her, but they didn’t get their wishes.
kaguyahime sat and looked at the moon. the old man and his wife began to worry.
 kaguyahime said, “i came from the moon. when the moon is full,
the people from the moon will come to get me.”
at last, the people from the moon came down and took kaguyahime to the moon.

not going to lie, i’m waiting, hoping, wishing and praying for the moon people to come back and pick me up. maybe we can make a pit stop in oklahoma, pick up a wayne’s sweet tea, get a bunch of hugs from everyone i love and then head for the moon. yes, please.

okay, no more moon people talk. sooo summer.  ah yes, summer. my favorite season. i feel the excitement for summer in the air around here. festivals will soon begin and i get to wear a summer ukata. exciting. and to spice up the summer season, the rainy season has also begun in japan. i actually really like it. growing up in oklahoma, i never really saw consistent rainfall like this. everything is so, so green here; it’s quite lovely. i mean the constant downpour limits what i can do  outside– no climbing mt. katasone or dipping my toes into the funehiki river without getting completely soaked, but the rain is forcing me to rest, enjoy some down time and to just be still. oh and to drink a lot of ethiopian coffee at legame, my favorite coffee shop in funehiki, and to finish a few books i’ve been meaning to finish.

i can’t believe it’s already july. and i can’t believe i missed the fourth of july. i love fireworks, barbecues and laying low with friends and family during the holiday. i sure hope you ventured to your local fireworks stand, bought three or 30 different colored sparklers and wrote your name with them. and i hope you bought some roman candles and, hopefully, you lived on the dangerous side, and held them in your hands while they shot out. you might have lost a finger but that’s okay; you only live once, right? oh, oh and i hope you didn’t forget to buy some of those little spinning bug or ghetto tank things that sound exactly like this: “vvvvvvvuuuuuurrrrrrreeeeeeeeeeeer.”  

my independence day celebration in japan with my friend, ashley, was wonderful and exactly how i like it… random. we ran away to a nearby town called bandaiatami to rest and relax. we stayed at a hotel (in a japanese-style room) relaxed in an onsen, got massages in our room, slept on about five japanese fluffy futons (which felt exactly like the fairytale ‘the princess and the pea’), shot off some japanese confetti, black cat-ish fireworks and wore glow bracelets we found at the 100 yen shop (like u.s. dollar stores but these stores are a lot nicer) and just enjoyed being away. good weekend in japan. i love it when that happens.       

 oh. my. gosh. i. am. mortified. something weird just happened. okay so last night i was listening to bone thugs (yes, this indie music-listening, audrey hepburn-loving girl occasionally gets in the mood to listen to old school rap) but my computer died right in the middle of “wakkkke uppp, wakkke up it’s the first of the monnnnth… gettt up, get uppp….” but i forgot my laptop charger at school and so i couldn’t recharge my computer. well, this morning i walked into the teachers’ lounge, said “ohayo gozaimasu” to all of the teachers, sat down, plugged in my lap top to finish this blog entry and bammity bam bam shazam. bone thugs started BLARING. i couldn’t make it stop. seriously. i couldn’t mute my computer, couldn’t turn the volume down. nothing. with my eyes popping out of my head, i had to scramble to unplug my laptop and carry it out of the room until my computer died again. ummm bone thugs were blaring from the teachers’ lounge to the hall to the little kitchen area. fail.

last week i had the opportunity to see a noh or nogaku, a traditional japanese opera-esque play/musical, with some of the students and teachers. it was interesting. yes, interesting. the performers wear elaborate costumes and detailed masks and do this opera-chant thingy in these operas. this style of drama has been around since the 14^th century. pretty cool. this is the part of being in japan that i love – learning about japanese history and seeing cultural aspects with my very own eyes. i did have to refrain from laughing a few times during the chanting. one of the dudes seriously sounded like kermit the frog trying to chant something in japanese. “eeee-oooo-eeee-ooo-rrrrr-ohhhhhh.” i kept feeling the need to clear my throat.

classes are starting to wind down a little bit. the students’ summer break is at the end of the month. their summer break isn’t like america. japanese students begin their school year in april and only have a few weeks off during the summer. i will have a couple of weeks off the beginning of august which i’m really looking forward to. i’m pretty sure me and my camera are going travel down to kyoto and explore more of japan during the break. kyoto isn’t too far from hiroshima and so i might venture out to that city as well. it’s adventure time.

i was eating lunch the other day with the special needs’ class and the students made a point to share with me a few tiny strawberries that they grew in their garden behind the school. isn’t that sweet? i love that they are learning to maintain a garden. it’s a simple way they exercise responsibility, ownership and pride in the work that they do. i try to spend a lot of time with the kids from this class. they are really sweet and just light up when i visit them. the other day i was greeting one of my classes (greetings are really big in japan) and the you ask the students how they are doing and they always respond in a scripted way – “fine, thank you and you?” it kind of drives me crazy and so when they ask me how i am, i try to respond with how i’m really feeling. so the other day i said i was, “sleepy.” well, today, i had a group of ichinensei students come up to me and say, “miss natari, are you snoopy??” i was so confused and then it dawned on me they thought i was trying to say i was snoopy the other day. whoops. they also asked me if i liked zac efron, pooh bear, cake and money.

aren’t you glad seasons change? and not just the literal four seasons but seasons of life. some seasons can feel way too long and drawn out and when you see that shift and transition to a more peaceful season. ah, well, it’s just lovely. i’m thankful for the constant rotation. it makes me appreciate the really joyful seasons and helps me endure the uncomfortable ones because i know it will change. just like clockwork. i’ve come to terms with the fact that life isn’t always going to be comfortable. it’s just not. but it’s all about perspective. perspective is  powerful (i just sounded like a motivational speaker right there ). you see, i have this issue with identifying a problem in my life and focusing intently on it so much so that it begins to consume all of my thoughts. i’m a rather dramatic – err animated (that’s a nicer, more sugar-coated word) – person by nature and i tend to illuminate challenges in my life and these challenges start to spill over to other areas where they don’t belong. before i know it, i feel like everything in my life isn’t going well. this is where the lord steps in and reminds me to align my perspective with his, take a step back, to trust his divine plan, to focus on the positive aspects of the specific season rather all the negative ones, wait it out and have patience. seasons indeed change. whew.    

i was e-mailing a friend a few weeks ago and sharing that i think i initially was a little naïve or too idealistic about my move to japan. i see now that i was trying to escape myself and looking for a quick fix, I think. i’m 26 years old, turning 27 in a month, and i don’t know exactly what i want to do with my life. i haven’t found my exact fit. i know what makes me come alive and  that’s having purpose, serving people of different cultures and bringing joy to others around me. i graduated from school, worked in corporate public relations for four years and ran into somewhat of a quarter-life crisis wall. so, i stuffed, jammed, squished, packed as much as i could into two ridiculously large suitcases and moved to japan with the assumption that my life would be harmonious and divinely perfect. now, in saying that, there’s no doubt in my mind i’m supposed to be here. no doubt at all. i haven’t been able to say that in a long time (that i know that i know i am where i’m supposed to be). it’s just not as easy as i envisioned. i’ve always wanted to live abroad. i’m fascinated by other cultures, intrigued by the world that surrounds me and i want to soak it all in while i’m free to do so. prior to my flight’s departure from america on april 9, i had so many assumptions about the japanese culture. some of these assumptions were just wrong. i’m  now being challenged to see the world through different eyes and to not process a different culture through natalie’s “american mindset.” and, well, it’s hard to change and shift my perspective. but, it’s necessary.  

i’m reading ‘serving with eyes wide open’ by david livermore and it’s challenging me to shatter the lens in which i see people different from me and process unfamiliar territory. livermore says, ”cultural perseverance refers to our level of interest, drive, and motivation to adapt cross-culturally. it’s a traveler’s robustness, courage, hardiness, and capability to persevere through cultural differences. people high in cultural perseverance are internally motivated to learn about a new place. as they begin to observe some of the differences and some of the ways their own assumptions are challenged they don’t run from facing those differences. instead they persist in trying to adapt in light of their observations.”

i can’t run. i don’t want to run. i’ve heard/read the following scripture concerning tithing several times growing up in the church but i came across the scripture the other day and saw it in a new light.

“remember this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. each man should give what he has decided to in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. and God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.” 2 corinthians 9:6-8  

i went beyond the subject of monetary diligence and applied the scripture to where my heart is concerning being in japan. i’ll get back what i invest in people both on my team as well as the japanese people. i also need to check my attitude. it just stinks sometimes. and, he’ll help me along the way. in my weakness, he is strong. i’m just glad that i don’t have to be on this journey alone.

“consider it pure joy, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” james 1:2-4

so i’ve been thinking… are you officially an independent woman when you can successfully plunge your toilet without screaming? the toilet in my apartment seriously hates me and i’ve recently learned something new about myself: i loathe plunging toilets. plunging my broken toilet isn’t working though. i’ve attempted to have it fixed a few times but it’s seriously stubborn. i’ve recently started just throwing chemicals in it hoping it would fix whatever issue it seems to be having. scrubbing bubbles, drano and some kind of japanese febreze-like spray will not, i repeat, will not unclog a toilet (just in case you were wondering). umm so i had to have the school secretary (who is incredibly adorable by the way) help me and call my boss, kawaai sensei, to tell her that my toilet needs to be fixed. in the teachers’ lounge. on the phone. for everyone in the lounge to hear. sigh. i bet everyone here things i’m insane. story of my life.

for all of those of you who are praying for me, i feel your prayers. seriously. it means the world to me.

much love from me to you.

natalie ann

out of a story.

“it was much pleasanter at home,” thought poor alice, “when one wasn’t always growing larger and smaller, and being ordered about by mice and rabbits.” 

“i almost wish i hadn’t gone down that rabbit-hole—and yet—and yet—it’s rather curious, you know, this sort of life. i do wonder what can have happened to me.”

“when i used to read fairy-tales, i fancied that kind of thing never happened, and now here i am in the middle of one.”

- alice’s adventures in wonderland by lewis carroll

oh, alice. sigh. i know exactly how you feel. indeed i do.

hibiki.

well, folks. it’s official. i’ve lived in japan for two months. it’s been a whirlwind of conflicting thoughts and a rollercoaster of emotions since i arrived at the narita airport in early april. actually, i think 2010 for me as a whole can be defined as just that – the year of change and challenges, yet unforgettable moments and memories. yes, life is unpredictable but can be ever-so-sweet. i think i’m learning to embrace the journey instead fight every single step along the way. just ride the wave, right? feel the wind on your face. something like that?

to be completely honest, sometimes my heart isn’t in the right place. i know, i know… natalie is human? what? shocking. i don’t always feel like being nice. i don’t always feel like being here. this is where the peace of the lord comes in. i have to really just take it a day at a time. nothing more, nothing less. not looking to the past, not looking ahead to the future. focus on the present, be at peace and be all there. allow the lord to work with me where i am right now… mentally, physically, emotionally.   

“and the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds…” – philippians 4:7

in our team bible study, we’ve started going through timothy keller’s “gospel in life: grace changes everything” and it’s been surprisingly encouraging. that sounds awful but i’m not always a fan of study guides. i get bored and never finish them. BUT, the first session was about jeremiah 29 where the jewish exiles were forced to move to babylon and God told them to settle in the new city, become established and to trust His plan because it was for the good of the people. i tried to put myself in the shoes of the exiles and my first reaction would have been a negative, bitter or probably hostile one. i mean to be thrown into a new environment and to be out of your comfort zone by force. eek. and then it dawned on me, i am in a new environment, facing a new  set of challenges and it’s not always easy being in japan but i’m supposed to be here. God was asking patience of them and to really trust His plan. and, He’s asking the same of me. 

okay, so some days in japan are more challenging than others and so i’ve become slightly obsessed with chocolate-covered almonds. and, by “slightly” obsessed i mean “entirely, overly, completely, eat-an-entire-package-in-one-sitting”  kind of obsessed. so, that ridiculousness needed to stop immediately . i hope you don’t mind, but i feel it’s my duty to take a moment to thank my former companion for the good times we’ve shared. it seems most appropriate.

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dear sweet, delectable, bits of heaven:

i want take a moment to say thank you for keeping me sane the last two months. your milk chocolatey goodness has helped me cope with the not-so-fun, uncomfortable, forced-to-adjust, i-feel-like-hiding-from-the-world or punch-something-or-someone-in-the- face kind of days while living in another country. we will have to part ways for a brief season due to my desire to fit comfortably into my jeans. but, please know this hurts me far more than it hurts you. we will meet again in the future when i can practice self-control and not consume your entire contents in a day –  i mean hour. please know you’ve been instrumental in my life over the last few months and, now, we must part ways. no tears will be shed as we will only remember the fond memories shared between us.  

loving you from a distance,
natari

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so, goodbye chocolate almonds and hello cute, blue, 1950s vintage-looking cruiser bike. she’s so adorable and it makes me deliriously happy to have my very own bike to zip around to the grocery store, to the nearby river and mountain, to the train station, to go on little adventures with. aww, i just love it. now if only paisley were here to ride in my basket… *le sigh*  i’m still taking a poll on what i should name her. my honda accord back home is named “lafonda” and so naming my bike is definitely a must. suggestions thus far: trudy, betsy mae, noodle, fred, frednoodle, natmobile and some other gems. all wonderful names, but i think i’m leaning towards “hibiki.” and why “hibiki” you might ask? well, because “hibiki” is the name of one special alpaca who stole my heart at the nasu animal kingdom this past weekend.  that’s why.

i went on a much-needed, random road trip with my friends ashley, travis and emi to a town called nasu to visit the strangest, yet coolest, zoo i’ve ever been to in my life. there was an entire building filled with different breeds of cats (even the bathrooms had creepy pictures of different kinds of cats on the walls). you could pick them up and play with them. some had teeth, some did not. then there was a section with all kinds of different dogs and then rabbits, birds, penguins… so on and so forth. there was an animal show where birds, boars, goats were all performing… even “hibiki” the alpalca. all these animals were running out from backstage and performing these cool tricks and such and then there was hibiki. the crowd chanted his name, he came out and did NOTHING. absolutely nothing. he trotted out, ran to the other side, showed some sass, ate a treat and went back to where he came from. annnnnnnd, that’s how you instantly become my favorite: you do nothing and you’re awesome. after the show, i saw hibiki with a trainer, took his picture and then he attempted to eat a little girl’s bag. helllllllo, SASSY PANTS! what a little diva. i think that’s another reason why i like him/her/shim… that alpaca is sassssy. so, yeaaa, i think my bike should be called hibiki.

i recently got a cell phone and can you guess what my cell phone charm is? yep. you’ve got it. it’s none other than the loveable alpaca, hibiki. YATA.

my food adventures are going strong. i eat school lunches pretty much every day. i’ve come such a long way in just a few short months of being here. if i don’t recognize a meat or food on my plate, i don’t really care, i’ll eat it. behold the beauty of imagination! i just don’t think about it too much anymore. fishy smell and slimy texture? ah, no worries. wash down that weirdness with some stout coffee. done and done. however, i did get a little insecure when i was eating lunch with some students and a few of them made me stop eating so they could show me how to properly use chopsticks. i didn’t eat lunch with them a few days after that so that i could practice. in the corner. by myself. i will not be defeated by the hashi (chopsticks) nor the ichinensei (7^th graders). i rejoined the class for lunch after some time and the students actually cheered when i walked into the room and fought over which table i should sit at. boo yah.

a few weeks ago the students participated in a city-wide sports competition. the junior high that i work at is the largest and so we pretty much dominated. but i spent the day watching kendo and table tennis matches (they don’t call it “ping pong” here – they say “ping pong” if you get an answer right). i LOVE watching kendo. ah, it soooo cool. sometimes i slip away from my desk and watch the students practice in the afternoon during their club activities. it’s a very graceful sport, i think. i mean it’s loud and the two competitors are yelling back and forth but the movements are graceful. they wear these robes and masks and sort of dance back and forth, swinging their wooden swords. the japanese-english teacher, iwamoto sensei, that i work with is the kendo coach and one of my ichinensei female students got first place in the competition. bravo.      

ohhh something crazy. i’ve experienced my fair share of tornados growing up in oklahoma but never an earthquake. i was in line at starbucks in koriyama yesterday, happily ordering a caramel frappuccino when i looked out of the window and the lamp posts were literally swaying back and forth. ah, so strange. i just froze. i don’t even know what you do during an earthquake… put a mattress over your head and hide in a closet? wait, that’s not right. stop, drop and roll?? no, no. do nothing but look like a deer in headlights and continue drinking your frozen beverage? done and done.

on, on onnnnsen. our bosses, encho sensei and kawaai sensei took the team to a beautiful onsen to welcome all of the new teachers. i’m not going to lie, i was a little nervous about the whole ordeal. i would like to think i’m a pretty secure individual but walking around nudey during the day around complete strangers and new friends is a little, well, … awkwarrrrrd? but, it was quite an experience. the different baths had different temperatures and locations. to sit and talk with some  friends (that were girls – let’s be clear about this) was relaxing. there’s definitely something beautiful about the japanese onsen experience. i’ll totally do it again.

i hear the little frogs croaking, rain drops hitting the tin roof of the house next to me and i do believe it’s my bedtime.

oyasuminasai,
nat

from blackberrys to boogers.

as i watched yet another 12-year-old boy eat his boogers in class the other day (a daily routine i’m becoming strangely accustomed to), i couldn’t help but think how vastly different my life is now in comparison to just a few months ago. from mornings filled with sitting in my cubicle, answering a considerable amount of e-mails to now my mornings consisting of playing dodgeball in a rusty, old gym and watching awkward pre-teens eat their boogers, my daily routine has shifted ever so slightly. i never know what day or time it is here; it’s odd really. i’m still adjusting, i think. i try to make it a point to laugh at something new on a daily basis. whether it be the 8^th grade science teacher – who, i might add, makes the most interesting coffee-slurping noises every few minutes– falling asleep next to me during a school assembly or students asking me goofy questions, i think i’m coping with my transition to living in japan with humor. i think it’s the best way to go.

questions asked this week by students/teachers:
student: “what do you think of president obama?”
me: “politics? [sigh] oh my. we’re going there? it’s only 9a.m.”

student: “can you own a gun in oklahoma?”
me: “oh my, oh my…”

student: “do you dream often?”
me: “uhhh… i don’t think any more than the average person?”

student: “sensei (teacher), are you rich?”
me: [laughing] uh, hardly.

student: “miss natari, i ruv you.”
me: “and why do you love me?”
student: “you is cute-o and styrish.”
me: “oh, okay. sounds like a good enough reason to me.”
it makes me laugh that my students call me kawaii or “cute”. i’m like, “really? cute? i’m about 13 years older than you.” but really, it’s funny. i think it’s because i’m borderline a midget that they think i’m “kawaii.”  

japanese-english teacher: “what is american food like?”
me: “hmmm… good question. well, we eat a lot of chicken, beef, potatoes, seafood on the coast, cheese, so on and so forth. i think it just depends where you live in america.”
japanese-english teacher: “oh really? i just think of american food being really sweet with a lot of sugar. a lot of japanese think that.”
me: “whaaaa… because we’re chubby? or?”
japanese-english teacher: “chubby?”
me: “nevermind.”

“will you marry me?” – i was asked this by the gym/p.e. teacher at my school after he suggested we go on a date to starbucks and share a latte with one straw. no, i’m not kidding. he then proceeded to say i was an angel.

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pretty much every weekend i take a train to koriyama to go shopping, see a movie, hang out at starbucks… just to get away. i was walking around a shopping area in koriyama one saturday by myself when i stumbled across a vintage clothing shop with a number of old t-shirts, levi’s, dresses, etc. this place was huge and had quite a selection. well, i started thumbing through the t-shirts and i saw a bright orange shirt, when all of a sudden i noticed the lettering… wait, wait could it be?? YES indeed, it was an OSU shirt (for all of my pokes-loving okies out there). what are the odds of that? i kind of freaked out. that made me smile to see something so familiar in the middle of japan. the vintage clothing shop is in the same shopping area as my favorite indian/bohemian store and so i stopped by to check out the selection of colorful earrings and scarfs. i ran into the adorable shop owner, she recognized me and even remembered my name and so she and i began talking and i asked her what her name was again. she pointed to herself (when referring to themselves, the japanese point closely  to their face)and said, “mi” and i responded, “hai (yes)”, and she said, “mi”, and i said, “hai”, and she said, “mi”, … and after about the fifth “mi” it dawned on me, “mi” is her name. murrrr. i was harassing my new friend on accident. oopsie. poor thing. we laughed for about five minutes and then she gave me a cute, beaded bracelet and said i was funny. i really like her. she’s a ultra hip, bohemian girl. i might just make her be my friend.         

walking around funehiki last week, i noticed  how green and lush the landscape has recently become. the seasons are very distinct here; i love it. in just a few short weeks and a few rainy days, the leaves have really come alive with their various shades of green. speaking of green, the cute, little frogs have been singing me to sleep every night the last week or so. i crack my window at night to hear the sweet sounds of the croaking frogs and falling raindrops. the rice fields (which are absolutely beautiful) are being planted right now and so there’s water in the rice fields. a few people have told me that the frogs have started to come out because of the warmer weather, moisture and water in the rice fields. i’m not sure of the exact reason why they are out and about now – probably a combination of factors – but i do know i like it.

i ventured out this weekend with some friends and our bikes to a little town called miharu (about 30 minutes away) where there’s a gorge and lovely countryside to explore. the weather was perfect for an adventure and we were feeling a little bold and decided to jump in the river. i’ve wanted to find a little spot that i could go to get away and i think i’ve found it. actually, there are a lot of little spots i could go and hide out at but this one is my favorite so far. on the way back to funehiki, we stumbled across three little kittens. sadly, we (american teachers) aren’t allowed to have pets in our apartments(or paisley would be living the japanese lifestyle right about now – instead of dog food, she’d be eating sticky rice) or i would have kept the little kitty. but, we picked them up, put them in our baskets and tried to move them closer to town. i hope someone discovered them and is taking good care of them. sad day. moving on, i borrowed a friend’s bike this weekend but my next big purchase is going to be my very own bike. instead of the solid metal, granny-ish bikes with the baskets (which are actually really cute and i saw a turquoise one the other day at the store and was really tempted to buy it just for the sheer fact that it was adorable), i’m going to go a step up and invest in a road bike that i can actually get a good work out from and go longer distances. so, i’m on the hunt to find a perfect bike for me. wish me luck.

i’m on this journey right now of finding my place here. i really like being in japan and feel like i’m adjusting fairly well but the fact is i’m still adjusting. i’m not necessarily homesick, even though i’d love to see all my dear friends and family, and so i feel stuck between two worlds. that’s the best way i can describe it. i was talking to a friend on the team last night about how i’ve been feeling and she brought up a good point, “if you were in america, you’d want to be in japan…” and, it’s the absolute truth. so, i’m here and this is my life now… live it, work it, own it. boo yah. i’ve wanted to live abroad for as long as i can remember and so here i am and i’m called to be here. this, this i know. it’s not perfect, but i’m here for a reason. i think it’s one thing to travel a few weeks or months at a time, seeing an end in sight, but coming to terms with the whole oh-snap-i-am-not-leaving-any-time-soon aspect of moving away from everything familiar and comfortable is a little, well, unnerving.

culture fatigue (i don’t like the term “culture shock” and so we’ll use the term “culture fatigue”) example: i find myself getting annoyed lately over really petty/trivial/straight-up ridiculous and dumb things. after lunch, everyone brushes their teeth here. so, it’s not uncommon for me to look over at the sink in the teachers lounge around 1p.m. to see the science, math and art teacher all brushing their snaggles. at first i felt like this was slightly invasive but i’m used to it now. but the other day, i had a bad attitude because the toothbrushes in japan are micro-mini small. i use a toothbrush at home i brought from america, but i bought a toothbrush in japan to bring to school. so, i had to use the practically non-existent toothbrush the other day and, after attempting to brush my teeth with it, i wanted to throw it across the room. go ahead, laugh. it’s funny now but at the time, i was thinking, “WHY ARE THE TOOTHBRUSHES SO STINKIN’ SMALL? WHY ISN’T THERE FLUORIDE IN THE WATER? WHY IS THE TOOTHPASTE CONSISTENCY SO RUNNY AND GROSS? WHAT AM I DOING TO MY POOR TEETH?” “ARE MY TEETH GOING TO TURN FUNKALICIOUS??”  

two words: 1) culture 2) fatigue.

when i was visiting my friend, sonoko, in tokyo, i started brushing my teeth in front of her and she freaked out over the size of my toothbrush and then made me show junepei, her boyfriend, my toothbrush and then they freaked out together. i just stood there, in the bathroom doorway, holding my bright pink, electric blue and lime green reach triple-action amazingly awesome toothbrush i got from target, toothpaste foam in the corners of my mouth, while they stared in amazement and marveled over the size of my beast-of-a-toothbrush. *sigh* sadly, being in japan has exposed my high-maintenance side to an uncomfortable degree. i’m picky about certain things but being in japan has made me stop and question my pickiness. the dialogue in my head goes something like this:   

1) “ummm nat, do you realize you’re getting upset over a toothbrush?” – - – “ah dang, you’re right. ridiculous. what’s wrong with me?? culture fatigue, perhaps?”
2) “do you realize there are much, much bigger problems in the world?” – - – “ah, you do have a point. so, more or less, you’re trying to say it’s not about me?” 
3) “will the world stop just because your toothpaste doesn’t have the cool listerine breath strips in it?” – - -“now that i think about it, no, no, it won’t.”  

whew. it’s not necessarily fun to deal with things you don’t like about yourself, is it? i’m not perfect – far from it, actually – just saved by grace.  

“be at rest once more, o my soul, for the lord has been good to you.” – psalm 116:7   

i read timothy keller’s “the prodigal God” last week and i highly recommend this short read especially for those of you who have been in the faith for a long time. he dives deeper into the parable of the prodigal son or a better description (as keller states),  the parable of the two sons. with this familiar story, there’s a lot of emphasis on the lost younger son and even though he dishonors his father, it’s his father who welcomes him home with open arms and unconditional love. one of my favorite songs is shane barnard’s “prodigal me” and in the lyrics he says “please come home, you’ve done me no wrong”. the image of the father welcoming home his son with such joy, love and forgiveness and without a record of wrongdoing has literally brought me to tears. but back to the book, keller focuses not only on the younger son but also the heart of the older son in the story. the younger son clearly and outwardly chased after a lifestyle that left him alone, depressed and with nothing. i’d venture to say we’ve all been there before. but, the older brother’s prideful and judgmental attitude was just as destructive and selfish as the younger brother’s actions but it was more behind the scenes. he had a heart a issue. his motivation in being faithful and serving his father were purely out of selfishness. examining the older brother’s heart in the story, made me question mine. especially in my prayer life, i started asking myself what were my motivations in me bringing my requests to God. He’s not a genie and, sadly, sometimes i treat our prayer time as such. i know he wants to hear our heart’s desires but it seems like there haven’t been any moments lately that i’ve thanked him for what He’s doing in my life or told Him what His faithfulness means to me. i’ve just been challenged to take my eyes off of me. He is good. He is faithful. He deserves my adoration.

“how can the inner workings of the heart be changed from a dynamic of fear and anger to that of love, joy and gratitude? you need to be moved by the sight of what it cost to bring you home.” – timothy keller

oh, this is exciting: i received my very first care package filled with easy mac, a 3-lb. bag of gummy bears (pretty intense), clif bars, SHARP CHEDDER CHEESE, a huge jar of crunchy peanut butter and many more treasures. seriously, that made my day, no week. shout out to my wonderful parents, michelle and wayne smith, carol and davie tims, and gale and dan riffle for being so thoughtful. it means a lot to me. thanks, again. a few people have asked me what my mailing address is and, although ridiculously long, this IS actually my complete address:

66 Hiradate, Funehiki-Aza, Funehiki-Machi
Tamura-Shi, Fukushima-Ken JAPAN 963-4312

i love hearing from everyone on my blog, facebook, e-mail and skype. i have a hard time answering everyone in  a timely manner because i’m not in front of a computer all day but please know i appreciate the encouragement and prayers and love staying connected. i apologize for the delayed response, but know that it means a lot to me.

saying no to angry toothbrush rants,
natalie

i’m officially an alien.

it seems as though there is a lot to catch up on. natari has been a busy, busy bee the last few weeks with her time off during golden week (explained below) and then adventures to koriyama, iwaki and tokyo. i suspect that this entry might be fairly long and so, please, bear with me.

first things first: i’ve developed an unhealthy obsession with anything/everything grape flavored AND with “hello kitty”. did you know kitty-chan (chan means “cute”) is as heavy as three apples? you do now. my hashi (chopsticks) are “hello kitty” and my daily planner is too. i have magnets, stamps, pens and even band-aids with her adorable little face on them. i fear i might need therapy to rid me of this “hello kitty” craziness.

and, more exciting news: i’m officially an alien because my alien card says so. it’s true.

so, granola cereal was my best friend  the first week or two. although absolutely delicious, i need a little more substance than “fruits granola”. so, i decided to conquer my tiny little kitchen and cook/bake up a storm. i’ve also been using my rice cooker a lot. i’ve made pancakes, egg salad and i’ve been on this tofu kick lately. i’m not a huge meat eater and so tofu is a good substitute. it’s really cheap in japan and so that’s nice. i’ve made a curry dish with tofu and carrots, potatoes and corn. i also made tofu muffins which is a story in itself. the microwaves here also are ovens and so you can heat up your food, toast bread or bake. this serves as a slight problem for individuals like me who don’t know japanese symbols – kana or kanji. with determination and motivation (due to an empty stomach), i just started pressing buttons on the ovenwave thing-a-ma-jig  to begin the process of baking the delicious tofu muffins. well, the thing kept shutting off every few minutes. this went on for at least 20 minutes. the first batch of muffins were decent. then, some friends (who are japanese language rock stars) stopped by and pointed out that i was using the toaster and not the oven. whoops. needless to say, the second batch of muffins turned out much better than the first.

referenced above, golden week is a collection of national holidays and schools/businesses are closed. constitution memorial day commemorates the new constitution that was put into effect after ww II, greenery day has something to do with some emperor who was awesome i’m sure, and then there’s children’s day or also known as boys’ day. families hang carp (a symbol of strength and hope) streamers and hope that boys will grow up to be strong. i didn’t do anything particular to celebrate these holidays but i did paint my nails, climb mount katasone, eat strawberry shortcake, play at coolest park i’ve ever seen  and caught up on sleep which is always a good idea in my book. the weather was perfect during golden week and so it was nice to be outside in the sunshine and to just hang out. i also ate soba and tempura for the first time which was very tasty.  

when golden week was over and classes were back in session, my school (funechu) held a track and field day. all 400-something students competed against one another and collectively as a homeroom class in various track and field events. i came really close to running with the students (lie) but it got really sunny and hot outside (truth) and so me and my flavored water chilled out on the sidelines. sitting there, not doing anything and just being awesome, i got sun burned. so, miss natari looked like a lobster for about two days. epic failure.  

my students are doing well. i’m getting better about remembering their names. because i live and teach in the same city, i see students everywhere  and this is how it usually goes:

natalie…

 –> at the grocery store – student to me: “HELLLLLOO NATARI”

–> walking down the road – student to me: “AHHHH MISS NATARI” [insert pointing and waving of arms from student about a mile away]

–> eating at a restaurant – student to me: “MISS NATARI…. YOU EAT KAPPA SUSHI???? I EAT KAPPA SUSHI.”

–> just breathing – student to me: “NATARI SENSEI, NATARI SENSEI!!!!!”

i was walking to the grocery store with some other teachers the other day and one my students, kana, rannnnnn up to me and had a look of bewilderment on her face. so, i attempted to ask her if she was okay and she was confused because i was wearing glasses and i never wear my glasses to school. she motioned to switch glasses because she had her glasses on too. we did, she giggled and then we parted ways. too cute for words.

but yes, there is no hiding in this little town. if i don’t  run into a student, no fear, i still manage to stand out and make new friends. every time i go to the grocery store, i catch at least one person looking into my cart to see what i’m buying. i just smile, wave and attempt to strike up a conversation. what do i have to lose, right?? the other day, i was standing in line at the home depot/walmart-like store called daiyu 8 and i was bored and tried to talk to the lady next to me. her hair had streaks of pink in it and i had just learned the word for beautiful which is “kirei” and so i pointed to her hair and said that word. she smiled and said thank you in japanese and then gave me flowers. how sweet is that? she was trying to say something else to me but i couldn’t understand so i meant to say “wakarimasen” which means “i don’t understand” (this is my second favorite word; my first being “sumimasen” which means “sorry”) and i said “watashi wa” which means “i”. so, i could tell she was trying to ask me a question and i kept saying “i”, “i”, “i”, instead of “i don’t understand.” we both giggled and i went on my merry little way, cute flowers in hand.   

tokyo.
i ventured out to tokyo last weekend to see my old college friend, sonoko yamagata. from where i live in funehiki to the train station sonoko lives close to (ebisu station on the yamanote line), it took about two hours to get there by shinkansen or “bullet train.” the shinkansen is incredible. seriously. i think i’d describe my weekend in tokyo as… amazing? from tokyo’s modern architecture with exquisite detail to the fashionable individuals that fill the train stations and bustling streets, everything about tokyo is impressive. it’s a lot to take in and i think my head is still spinning. i’ve visited a few major cities – paris, london, prague, los angeles, beijing –  but tokyo is unique and lives up to all of the hype.

i didn’t really have any expectations prior to the weekend trip; i just wanted to catch up with sonoko. i remember meeting sonoko in one of my public relations classes at oklahoma state unvisersity my junior year and she barely spoke any english. i thought she was sweet and i tried to help her adjust to life in oklahoma and so we became good friends. it’s funny now to see the roles reversed. i’m the confused foreigner wandering around, saying goofy things and trying to make new friends. the entire weekend she was trying to teach me new japanese words or encourage me to try new things. sonoko is a news reporter for fuji television. i didn’t realize this but she has had her own show for two years and traveled to 47 japanese prefectures reporting on the local cuisine, entertainment, so on and so forth. she even interviews celebrities occasionally… leonardo dicaprio and nicolas cage to name a few. so, i’m very proud of my friend. she’s doing really well. sonoko’s boyfriend, junpei, spent time in america as well, in the boston area. he went to harvard but grew up in tokyo. remember how i mentioned that i didn’t realize that the cherry blossoms in dc were a gift from the japanese? well, i was talking to junpei about his family and his grandfather was one of the leaders/philanthropists who donated the trees. pretty cool. we spent some time at their vacation home (they even have their own tennis courts and sauna!) located at the foot of mount fuji and next to kawaguchi lake (there about five different lakes that surround mount fuji). i could literally see mount fuji from every window in the house. it was lovely. we decided to do a ropes course/zip line in the area and the higher we’d climb in the trees, the better we could see fuji. it’s massive and quite a vision to see; you can’t help but be in awe.

i met a few of sonoko and junpei’s friends and some of their family. sonoko’s younger sister, moeko, flew in from london the same day that i came to visit. moeko is an architect and went to school/has lived in london for something like 5-6 years. she’ll be in tokyo for a few months. i’m such a nerd but i loved listening to her british accent – a japanese girl with a british accent. isn’t that cool? i just love it. i also met jupei’s brother, kohei (which i kept butchering his name and pronouncing it like “coffee” – oye) and he’s lived in manhatten/san francisco the last few years, working for an architecture firm as well. everyone was so kind, hospitable and their english was impeccable – made me feel right at home. 

when i got into tokyo on friday, sonoko and i ate dinner with some of her fuji television coworkers – other news reporters, producers and cameramen. one of my favorite movies is sofia coppola’s “lost in translation” which is set in tokyo. i loved talking to some of them about the film, where specific scenes were filmed and such. a few people from the group got to work on “slumdog millionaire” and others were working on korean films. pretty cool. a goal of mine is to visit several of the different locations shot in the movie. i made it to my first location in the shibuya district. the intersection in shibuya is said to be the busiest in tokyo. i was so giddy when i saw it that i wasn’t thinking about safety. i know, I know… safety first, right? it really is a HUGE intersection and sonoko and i ran to the middle for a photo and junpei trailed behind us to catch the action shot. well, the light changed, the crosswalk was cleared, sonoko went on one side and then junpei went on the other side and natalie had a delayed reaction. i froze, cars were coming at me, i screamed (like that was going to solve my problem…) and then sprinted to the meet sonoko. glad i didn’t get squashed; it was a close one.

sonoko made traditional japanese food for us saturday night and we went shopping in the omotesando area. this district is fancy with very high-end fashion. think beverly hills on crack. basically, all i could afford was the mac eyeliner i bought. three cheers for being poor. happy, but poor. sonoko, moeko and i had a nice lunch at a café and then walked a few blocks to a shopping area with gap, h&m, zara, forever 21. now, we’re talking. on my way back from tokyo, i stopped by dean&deluca at tokyo station and grabbed a few items before hopping on my train, delicious cheese bread being one of the items. i ate the whole thing before i made it to my second stop. true story. i miss cheese. if you’re reading this and have access to good queso or sharp chedder, do me a favor and consume an entire block for me. can you do that? thanks.

advice from natari: if you’re unable to laugh at yourself or if it bothers you to have others laugh at you, don’t live in another country that has a very traditional culture and speaks a completely different language. deal? okay, thanks.

with that tiny little suggestion, we’re going to segue into some funnies. i say/do something ridiculous on a daily basis. now, those who know me well shouldn’t be shocked by this fact. however, being in japan has illuminated my goofy ways. just this morning, i attempted to ask hashimoto-san, the school secretary/ kochyo sensei’s assistant if i could order a school lunch (yes, i’m back on the food-adventure train) and so i wanted to say that i’d like to order a lunch but, instead, i said, “am i lunch?”

failure: numero uno.

but, we came to a mutual understanding and the obento (lunch box) was ordered. hip, hip hooray! oh, but just wait… i proceed to walk over to the lounge area where all of the obentos that the teachers ordered were and then i started eating someone else’s food……

*sigh*

failure: numero dos.

and, that was just an example set in a time frame of a few short hours. never a dull moment, my friends. never a dull moment.

i feel like this entry is turning into a novel and so we must part ways.

i also feel like i should leave you with something encouraging. how about: when in doubt, do a booty dance? wait? no? hmmm… okay, uhhh… you are someone and you are worth it. there you go. that’s better.

until we meet again!

toodles,
natalie

cherry-blossom girl.

the cherry blossoms (sakura) are really beautiful right now. the japanese are very proud of their cherry-blossom trees. and, they have every right to be; the blooms are just lovely. they look like little fluff balls of cotton candy. here in japan, you can find cherry-blossom ice cream, cake, salt and many more sakura-themed edibles. there are sakura festivals and pink lanterns are displayed throughout the city in anticipation of the blooms’ arrival. there are fake sakura flowers in classrooms, on street lamp posts… they are literally everywhere. anticipation for spring is definitely in the air. speaking of air, enjoy one of my favorite tunes by the group: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0mcPxVBuIj0

the team got up at 5:30am on saturday to see takizakura, an 1,000-year-old cherry blossom tree. it was an amazing sight to see and apparently all of japan thought so too; the tree was surrounded with a ton of tripod, camera-carrying japanese. like i said, they take their cherry-blossoms seriously. fo’ shizzle.  

classroom updates:
well, let’s see. i get asked on a daily basis by students if i have a boyfriend. then, they get sad when i say i don’t. they seem to be bothered by this more than i am. with a frown on her face and deeply saddened eyes, one of my students empathized with my situation and said, “it is okay, miss natari. i don’t have a boyfriend either.” so funny.

ohhhh man. so, i was being introduced to a new class and the japanese english teacher, onishi sensei, asked if i liked music. with excitement in my voice, i boldly said, “yes! of course!!” and, then i proceeded to explain that i really liked the acoustic guitar. he then asked me to sing in front of the class………………… so, my stomach immediately dropped and i looked like a deer in headlights in a record-setting time of 1.2 seconds. at that precise moment, i didn’t really care about being polite. with my ghost-white face and eyes popping out of my head, i bluntly said, “NO WAY.” i think I could have said something more polite and in japanese, BUT he caught me off guard. send me back on a plane to america if you must, but i’m not busting out a song by myself in front of a class of thirty 11 year olds. i think i’d rather eat a bucket of red fish eggs. gives me a heart attack just thinking about it again.

speaking of heart attacks, i just had to introduce myself, bow and speak a little japanese in front of about 100 parents. the japanese even bow while sitting down. well, more like a deep head nod. but, the principal introduced me as “natari rrrovenburga” and then said something about oklahoma. i just smiled and nodded. i’m getting frighteningly good at that.

students are starting to feel a little more comfortable around me, i think. i walk to school (about a ten-minute walk) and i usually have a student every day run up to me and say/yell through a window, “GOOD MORNING MISS NATARI.” it’s cute and a great way to start the day.  

japanese babies are simply adorable. i’m thinking about bringing a few (or ten) with me when i go back to america. kidding, of course (well, maybe). but, they have the rosiest, roundest little cheeks that make you just melt. i’ve turned into an 82-year-old granny in just two shorts weeks of being in japan and want to pinch and squish every little rosey cheek i see. precious, precious little ones.

something  fun: when making a decision, sometimes the japanese use “rock, paper, scissors” to work it out. even in the classroom! so random and i. love. it. 

whenever people are sick here, they wear those white masks to be polite. i kind of (just kind of) feel bad because i’ve had a cold for a few days and i refuse to wear that thing. i’m pretty open minded and accepting to trying a majority of culturally-specific things but there are just a few i refuse to do like wearing a mask that makes me look like i’m about to work on a root canal in a dentist’s office. no, thank you. i will try to just cough in my own air space bubble but no mask for me. well, i take that back. if the mask has “hello kitty” on it, i might think about wearing it.

so i tried sushi for the first time in my life at this place called kappa sushi in funehiki. and, my oh my, it was quite an experience. when agreeing to try sushi at this restaurant, i envisioned an “in the raw” kind of place with several different kinds of rolls with familiar ingredients in each roll… avocado, samon, etc. basically, the sushi or sashimi at kappa sushi consisted of a little patty of rice, enough wasabi on the rice to clear out my sinuses for a year and then topped with an uncomfortable portion (for me) of raw fish, octopus, eel, shrimp, squid, etc. jarod, a guy on the team ate raw octopus (purple tentacles and all). brave, BRAVE soul. i think he chewed that little guy for an hour. so, there was no small portion to get accustomed to. i consumed a FILLET of toro (belly flesh of tuna) and barbequed eel,  and tried shrimp and eggplant. some of the sushi rolls had corn in mayo in them. they love mayonnaise here; it’s quite bizarre. they even put it on their “pizza” instead of marinara/alfredo sauce. i wouldn’t classify the sushi as exactly my favorite but it wasn’t completely terrible either. i didn’t gag or get sick and so we’re making some progress here. it’s very fresh and no fishy smell/taste at all. to reward my gag reflexes and stomach for behaving properly, i topped my sushi dinner off with cheesecake. i will say my favorite thing about kappa sushi is everything is served on a rotating belt and so you can just grab it at your table. and, if you want to order something that isn’t being served, you submit your order and it comes out on a mini shinkansen (bullet train). so, the cheesecake i ordered came out in an efficient and timely manner AND it made me laugh. does it get any better  than that? i think not.

i have an affinity with karaoke. when i turned 21 in china, all i wanted to do was sing the night away. when i’m in lawton, i’m obsessed with a korean restaurant/karaoke bar and you can’t pull me off of the stage. i turn 27 in august and i’ve already requested to have a karaoke birthday party. it’s just awesome.  i really love me some karaoke and so i was thrilled to have my first karaoke experience in japan last saturday. unfortunately, my singing ability proved to be an epic failure because of my cold (okay… all of the time really but it’s nice to have something to blame my lack of talent on) but i laughed a lot which is most important. carrie underwood, mariah carey, enrique iglesias (i can be yourrrr heroooo bay-bay), whitney houston, the beatles, the black eyes peas, and a few other gems, all made an appearance that evening. i sounded like a raspy, old man for majority of the songs but it’s all good.

i’m feeling more settled in japan. honestly, every day is better. i can’t imagine how i’ll feel in two years. it’s amazing to look back even week by week to see the progress i’ve made emotionally, mentally and even physically (i’m enjoying walking everywhere and not having a car). i’ve traveled for a few weeks/a month at a time but LIVING in another country is a whole another ballgame. i mean i’ll eventually go back home but i want to live in the moment, to give all of myself wherever i am. i think it’s just hard to gauge the level of investment when you know a season of life is only temporary.  it can be difficult to completely let your guard down but also rewarding when you finally do. God is doing a work in me concerning contentment. regardless of what job i’m doing, country i’m living in, people i’m around, i want to be content and to walk in full confidence knowing it is He who guides my footsteps and surrounds me in perfect peace. i really think that’s the key to happiness: contentment and knowing who you are in Him.

“you have made known to me the paths of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence.” – acts 2:28

the special needs teacher, monma sensei, speaks pretty good english and she said she’d help me with my japanese. i’m pretty excited about this. i study every day but it’s just nice to learn by conversing versus reading it out of a study guide and not accurately knowing how to pronounce specific words. monma asked me the other day, “why are you always so happy?” and so i thought about it for a second and said, “well, i have a lot to be happy about. i’m alive and healthy. i choose to look at life in a certain way.” and she said she really liked that and then we just had a nice conversation about traveling and living life to the fullest.  she travels to okinawa every christmas break (an island i really want to visit while i’m here). she seemed to become more animated and happy as i asked her questions about what made her come alive and to take time to get to know her story. our conversation reminded me that, as human beings, we truly need connection with each other . we can really minister and serve one another by just showing each other we care… we care about each others’ struggles, frustrations, successes and joys. everyone on the team of american teachers has really gone out of their way to make me feel comfortable and to help with my transition to japan. by my new friends asking how i’m doing, cooking for me, offering to help with anything and everything, it’s really ministered to me. so never underestimate the power of simply being there for someone and how it can really encourage them. that sentence just sounded very “rev run”-ish. but, it’s true and along with karaoke, i love me some rev run.

until we meet again,
natalie

aquarium explosion in your mouth.

ah, i survived my very first week in japan. overall, i believe it was a success. i did have a few moments of sheer frustration over language barriers. i like new adventures and there are so many new sounds and sights to experience here and so that part of living in a different country is absolutely beautiful. i love it. but, i also love connecting with new people and when i can’t get past “hello” and “how are you?” and both sides – the english speaker and the japanese speaker –  want to have a conversation but they can’t, it’s extremely frustrating. i just have to be patient with myself. i was talking to two other american teachers who have been here a year and they said it took them about 6 months to feel like they understood anything. so, i press on with the lord’s help…   

“my heart is faint; lead me to the rock that is higher than i.” – psalm 61:2

so let’s talk about food. oye. i had a pep talk with myself on the flight over here that i would keep an open mind and try new things. if i could try squid in the philippines and vinegar-soaked octopus in ohio, i could try anything and everything in japan, right? wrong. my optimism lasted a whole 48 hours. i love curry, noodles, rice, miso soup but i can’t handle weird fish combinations. i just can’t do it. i ordered the school lunches for two days and day one consisted of some fish/seaweed gelatin goo thing. it actually didn’t have a strong taste to it but i couldn’t handle the texture. i had to wash that bad boy down with some potent green tea. there were some chicken pieces and even potatoes, rice that i could eat. so, overall, not too bad. it’s hard, though, because the japanese eat every single thing on their lunch plate and rather quickly. i’m talking every single grain of rice. i am a slow eater as it is and so rushed seaweed-gelatin consumption is not a good idea. hello dry heaving! slightly discouraged but still somewhat optimistic, i ordered a school lunch on day two. this round consisted of a fried fish/seaweed patty and then a sliver of dried fish with the scales still on it, some chunk of meat that i didn’t recognize and radish mush with red fish eggs on top. this, my friends, is where natari’s food adventure came to a screeching halt. i asked another american teacher, jeni, what the red fish eggs tasted like and she replied, “well, i wouldn’t try if i were you; it’s like an aquarium explosion in your mouth.” she’s lived here for 5 years and if she can’t handle it, i surely can’t. PASS ON THAT. i tried everything else but couldn’t finish it all. so, i decided from that point on to start bringing my lunch. i’m not completely discouraged nor defeated, but i have to take on japanese food in small doses. natari will prevail [insert trumpet "victory" sound].

i locked myself out of my apartment and decided to venture out while i was waiting to get a spare key. on my way to grab dinner at a local ramen shop, i stumbled across a shinto shrine (jinga). i heard someone say this week that the japanese really value/appreciate beauty and i completely agree. there’s a lot of beautiful architecture in japan. after checking out the shrine, i made it to the noodle shop. you order from a menu on the wall and the seating is japanese-style with cushions on the ground. i started taking my coat off but my zipper was stuck and so the restaurant owner, asayo, quickly came the rescue. she put candle wax on the zipper tracks and fixed the problem. she wouldn’t even let me help her. little japanese momma saves the day!

the school principal is really busy and highly respected but i caught him the other day in the school hallway, we started talking and he asked me where i was from. i proudly replied, “oklahoma!” and what he did following my response will forever be etched in my memory. he busted out in song and dance to the musical, oklahoma – jazz hands and all. i’m not even kidding. it was beeee-autiful [insert jazz hands here]. so speaking of oklahoma, people on my team say i have a southern accent. what the whaaaa? can it be true? i didn’t think i had an accent… aww, sad day.  

earlier last week, it rained and then it lightly snowed. i woke up saturday morning to 4-5 inches of snow. unusual for this time of the year, spring is supposed to be on its way. but, today the sun is shining and i’ve noticed the sakura blooms opening. c’mon spring! fun fact of the day: i learned last week that japanese leaders gave cherry blossom trees to DC as a gift years ago. who knew?

i hung out with friends in koriyama this weekend. to get to koriyama from funehiki, you take a 30-minute train which is about $10 roundtrip. koriyama is a lot bigger than i thought it was… which i love. i felt a sense of familiarity in koriyama. it felt good to be in a city with STARBUCKS and cute fashion. man, japanese people are some of the most trendy people i’ve ever seen. occasionally, you see young people in random “snoopy” or “hello kitty”-esque, bright and colorful outfits with teased hair on the trains but i think that’s seen more in tokyo. but, a lot of the people i saw on saturday in koriyama were just trendy and well put together. it’s nice to be around the energy of an alive city – bright, beaming lights and bustling streets. i’m very much a city girl i’ve decided. don’t get me wrong, i need fresh air, mountains and hiking but i’m a fan of bigger cities. along with starbucks, there’s a mexican, indian and italian restaurant  in koriyama. we went to a shopping center with a thrift-like store with vintage clothing. next to that store was an indian-inspired store with indian fabrics, clothing, jewelry, bags… very bohemian. i ended up buying a piece of fabric to use as a table runner for my kitchen table. it has the prettiest flower design accented in turquoise and purple. i just love it. there’s even a foreign grocery store in koriyama. i saw australian, european and american food… even peanut butter m&m’s, jelly bellies, cool ranch dorritos, salsa and flour tortillas. the prices are insane but it’s nice to know familiar food is accessible. everything is more expensive in japan and usually in smaller portions. makes you think twice before you buy something. the japanese also are very intentional in their recycling. there are like ten different categories in separating your trash… plastics, steel, burnable trash, so on and so forth. yes, they burn their trash. it’s all orderly and concise. i’m far from being labeled “type a” but i actually appreciate their recycling efforts. shout out to my old roommate, mindy, for teaching me to value recycling.

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statements/questions from students
“miss natari, what’s is your favorite japanese anime?”
honestly, the first thing that came to my mind in answering that question was the christian, 1980s japanese anime on TBN called superbook. obviously, these students weren’t even born yet and didn’t even know purple-hair lady on TBN and so i didn’t go there;  no point in referencing this. completely stumped, i just started singing the ponyo song (an anime i watched during orientation a few weeks ago in ohio).  i’m not sure if that’s cool or not to them?! umm yaaa anyway… i looked like a complete nerd.

“you are hollywood, natari sensei!”
the students have clubs that they are a part of everyday. some students practice an instrument, some might play basketball or volleyball. basically, you pick a club and stick with it for the year. i decided to play volleyball one afternoon with the ichinensei (7^th grade) and ninensai (8^th grade) girls (i still have a bruise on my wrist for playing only one day. isn’t that just sad?) well, we had some down time and one of the 7^th grade girls started playing with my hair and then cupped my face with her hands and said that statement. sweet moment that made me smile. 

“what is your favorite music? do you like j lo?”
the people who know me well know i love indie music and you could say i’m not really a fan of pop music. it took everything in me to not go into the long explanation of why this is so but simplicity is key in japan. as painful as it was to utter the words, “yes, i like j lo” i think i’ve learned the valuable lesson of being simple vs. complicated/confusing. i was asked what my favorite flower was and i answered “hydrangeas.” can you see the glossed-over, look of confusion on my poor students’ face right now? simple. simple. simple. “why YES, students, i LOVE bootylicious j lo. she’s my favorite………..”

“what is your dog’s name AGAIN?”
i told one of my classes that i had a dog and told them her name. they have a hard time remembering it for some reason and it just cracks me up to have 25 japanese students practicing my little dog’s name over and over again. by the way, i got to skype with paisley yesterday and it made my day. yes, i’m that insane, ridiculous dog lover and i’m not ashamed to admit it.

me to students: “i have a small dog that lives in america.”
me to students: “AND, green is my favorite color.”
japanese english teacher to me and class: “YOU’RE DOG IS GREEN??” [insert class full of giggly japanese students]
me to everyone: “noo noooo… my dog is a perfectly normal color.”

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i attended a japanese church service yesterday morning. i was introduced to everyone and i didn’t butcher this one important phrase you say when meeting someone new, “yoroshiku onegai shimasu.” so that made me happy. i couldn’t spit it out last week and mispronounced it to just about every japanese teacher i’ve met. the evangelical church in funehiki is very small (10-15 people) but the people are warm and welcoming. if the church body comes to your mind this week, would you say a prayer for them? that they would be encouraged and continue to grow in their faith? i’ve heard  this several times but the most effective way for the japanese to understand the christian faith is by hearing it from another japanese person. “joy” is defined as the “excitement and pleasurable feeling caused by the expectation of good.” i’m believing for a spirit of joy to fill the hearts of every church member. as always, thanks for your prayers and support. okay, kochyo sensei (principal) just sprayed a ton spray paint in a very small, confined teachers’ lounge area and i may or may not be getting a second-hand high. time to go… 

i sure hope this made you smile!

adieu to you and you,
natalie

what is your blood type?

do i really live in japan? i’ve periodically asked myself that question since i arrived in funehiki a few days ago. it’s a little surreal finally living here, but it’s crazy exciting and slightly frightening. i think conflicting emotions are always present when starting a new chapter in your life especially an extreme shift in life like living aboard and completely changing your profession. i know God has me here for a reason, there’s no doubt about that. day at a time, day at a time…

first impressions:
after a 13-hour flight to the tokyo aiport and three trains changes, i arrived in funehiki saturday evening and was greeted by the other english teachers and kawaii-sensei, one of my bosses. a little overwhelming but it brought a smile to my face to see everyone. i literally hugged every single person. the team of americans here are all really great and incredibly helpful. i made it to my new apartment with everyone’s help, shuffled a few things around and went straight to bed at like 6pm. i was incredibly exhausted…  

funehiki isn’t what i pictured at all but in a good way. i knew it was a small, rural town but everything here is just oh-so-cute and quaint. the streets are very narrow and these little, tiny cars zip by. i didn’t realize the japanese drove on the left side of the road. it’s a very clean city and even the street lamps are quaint and have a light green glow to them. sakura (cherry blossoms) haven’t begun to bloom here just yet, although they have in tokyo. when my plane was landing at narita, it was pretty awesome to see all of the sakura blooms through my window. i ventured out with my camera for a little while this afternoon and i kept feeling like i was in germany or aspen again… lots of green trees, hills, and mountains. my friend, celeste, and i went to the grocery store and then the dollar store. yes, i said dollar store. how exciting is  THAT? during my outing, i bought some lovely dried flowers, mini plants, tasty chocolate-covered almonds, stinky candles, expensive oranges and some other random things. the grocery store is quite an adventure… lots of random, random combinations. i’m going to have to tackle that store when i’m fully rested; it’s a lot to process.

i am happy to be here. i wouldn’t be honest if i didn’t say i’m pretty overwhelmed. it’s a lot to take in very quickly. BUT, i’m excited to be in japan and to be part of this community. i can’t wait for the day when i can speak and understand japanese. one of my sweet neighbors stopped this morning to bring me a gift and i so wanted to talk to her in depth. in due time, in due time. for the record, words i’ve used today: “sumimasen”, “natori to mooshimasu”, “arigato gozaimasu”, “hajimemashite”, ”konnichi wa”. bascially, i have a really long way to go. i keep getting reminded by other teachers to have grace with myself. ah, the art of patience. working on that… always. working. on. that.

my apartment is on the corner of the complex where majority of the teachers live and really easy to get to and so i get a lot of visitors. i love when people just stop by to say ”hello”.  so, my apartment officially is whimsical and dreamy thanks to a few strands of twinkle lights. it’s the little things in life.

random funnies:
new friend ashley stopped by and helped me fix my toilet that i broke with my hardcore arm muscles, then my japanese neighbor stopped by and then we were interrupted by a delivery guy that had the rest of my luggage… all the while i’m running around barefoot and in boxer shorts because i didn’t have any of my clothes yet. yaaa ummm… not the best first impression in a very reserved society. well, in any society really. today i was telling peter, the other american teacher i teach with, that sometimes i feel like i’m in a movie. interestingly enough, peter, an attorney, moved to funehiki with his wife, rebekah, and their three young children a year ago. isn’t that neat? anyway… back to my previous thought… i think my life would really make a great reality show.  i was instructed to introduce myself to all of the staff this morning and to do this in japanese. i was nervous and SHOUTED my first phrase before the kochyo sensei (the school principal) could even give a proper introduction for me. everyone giggled. what can i say? i’m overzealous.

today was my first official day at funechu, the junior high i teach at with two other americans. it’s the largest junior high in the area with more than 500 students. the school is situated on a hill and overlooks funehiki. it’s really beautiful (photos soon). it rained all day today and mt. katasone, the mountain in funehiki, had a cloudy haze around it. very peaceful.  so, today was the day of introductions. i went to a few classes, toured the school and met some students. i’m pretty awkward in any type of “natalie introduction” situation. i just get weird. so, i talked about being from oklahoma, my favorite color and hobbies. for the record, i don’t like the word “hobby”. it immediately stresses me out because it makes me define what i like and this changes on a weekly, no daily, basis.  _____________________________________________________________________________________

questions asked by students today:
“do you know what disney is… you know, like hannah montana?”
“do you have boyfriends?”
“do you like to write in your diary?”

student: “what japanese food do you not like?”
conflicted on whether to be completely honest or not, i simply replied: “umm, let’s start with what i DO like. i like rice.”

student: “what is your blood type, natari sensei?”
me: “do whaaaaaaaaa?”
 (apparently, this is a VERY popular question among the japanese because your blood type is associated with your personality)_____________________________________________________________________________________

well, i’m still jet-lagging and need to hop into my warm and cozy bed and rest up. thank you, lord, for heating blankets. more pictures and stories to come in the very near future. i can’t wait to take pictures of the sakura blossoms. they should begin to bloom in funehiki any time now.

for all of you who are keeping me in your thoughts and prayers, i thank you with all of my heart. i feel strong to be in japan because of your encouragement and support. ah, the beauty of community! i will try to keep a list of prayers requests on this site. for now, i’d love agreement in praying for true connections with the japanese teachers at my school as well as my students. i’ve been praying that my eyes be open to opportunities that i can serve and love them.

okay, my eyes are starting to glaze over. goodnight, rittle frowers.